Praise Be to Coconut Water!

Hydration

First, here is an informative article from USA Track & Field. Read up for your safety!

Proper Hydration for Distance Running- Identifying Individual Fluid Needs

Next, I don't want to discredit good, ol' fashioned water. No matter what other hydration you discover that you find you are in love with, water should ALWAYS be your priority! Then...when you sweat a lot, bring in your electrolyte replacement.

I just wanted to highlight my personal favorite that I have recently discovered (thanks to sales at the grocery stores):

COCONUT WATER!! I am in love with this drink!

This is typically the brand I buy, but I am not partial. The best deal I have found is $1.49 (regular price) for a small container at Trader Joe's

I recently tried coconut water just to try it. I had heard about it and I didn't want to get sucked into a fad so I did some research. Check out this article that compares it to sports drinks like Gatorade:
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2011/10/coconut_water_compares_favorab.html

What I loved reading about the article was how coconut actually falls short in the category of sodium...because for me, coconut water is a great replacement drink on a daily basis, not for high-intensity performance. The high amounts of other electrolytes, especially potassium make me feel like a million bucks. Maybe it's just placebo effect, but I really don't think so!

Mmmmmm!

I have also tried other flavors but it is important to watch the labels, because sometimes all that you are getting with different flavors is added artificial flavoring. It's best to watch for labels that include fruit puree or fruit juice, and avoid anything that has "artificial" or "flavoring" in the title, in addition to dyes.

The other thing I discovered while doing a little research are these beauties:

Frozen Fruit Bars with...Coconut Water!

I'm thrilled to try these beauties as the weather gets nicer. They have variations with pineapple (my favorite fruit!) or banana. If you visit the website, you can get more information and view nutrition facts as well.

Now the sun just needs to come out...